Losing my Wisdom (...teeth)

[Spinach Dip]

Well...I tried to hold on to em for as long as possible...but cavities and incomplete eruption have finally led to the need to take these things out.




An anesthesiologist friend told me I should have it done under general anesthesia because I'm rather resistant to novocain. I'll be making final plans with the oral surgeon in a couple days.




Anyway, I'm not asking for medical advice... just some commiseration from people who have gone through something similar DURING the application cycle. I'm assuming all the pain meds mess with your ability to write coherent secondaries...

Any general advice on how to survive having 4 teeth yanked out of my mouth? Anything the surgeons generally dont tell you about?

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[Catalystik]

Any general advice on how to survive having 4 teeth yanked out of my mouth?

Frequent cold packs help some to avoid daytime prescription pain meds.

 

[allantois]

The oral surgeon who pulled my wisdom teeth out only gives laughing gas to patients (no IV/ no putting people asleep). Don't get me wrong, one of my teeth was impacted and growing sideways. With all respect to anesthesiologists, they don't ever get involved with wisdom teeth extractions.

As for the procedure itself - I am not at all sure how nitrous oxide impacted me at all as I felt completely conscious . However, I did not really feel pain, just a lot of pressure. The pain and swelling kicked it after the procedure and completely went away a week after.

 

[infinitessimal]

Enjoy the day of legal drugs

 

[Microglia]

I was off pain meds that day and back to driving/work within 48 hrs. My gf was out of it for about a week. Your mileage may vary, but it shouldn't take more than a week to recover have a lot of non-solid food on hand already prepared. Anything more than that would border on medical advice haha, so best of luck.

 

[Runican]

Well...I tried to hold on to em for as long as possible...but cavities and incomplete eruption have finally led to the need to take these things out.




An anesthesiologist friend told me I should have it done under general anesthesia because I'm rather resistant to novocain. I'll be making final plans with the oral surgeon in a couple days.




Anyway, I'm not asking for medical advice... just some commiseration from people who have gone through something similar DURING the application cycle. I'm assuming all the pain meds mess with your ability to write coherent secondaries...

Any general advice on how to survive having 4 teeth yanked out of my mouth? Anything the surgeons generally dont tell you about?

I got general anesthesia because I'm also resistant to novocaine. You should definitely do it. All I remember was getting an IV and the next thing I knew it was 45 minutes later and I was done.

As far as tips go:

1) If you don't want to shell out lots of money to get the head wrap ice pack thing for after surgery, you can do what I did. Buy a pair of tube socks and sew them together near the toes (you can also just tie them together really tight if you don't know how to sew). Then put an ice pack in each sock. Put the sewed part under your chin and tie the top of the socks together on top of your head. I found this picture online of how it should look:

2) Wash with warm saltwater A LOT. I didn't get one, but I hear dry sockets are not pleasant.

 

[Goro]

My condolences. I had three yanked out while I was in grad school. I was drinking milkshakes, and eating soup and mashed potatoes for a month. I only needed Tylenol III for a day.

I developed a spicule of bone at one extraction site, and had to go get it ground down. No picnic. Imagine to chew for a month with your pre-molars.

This too, shall pass. Good luck!

Any general advice on how to survive having 4 teeth yanked out of my mouth? Anything the surgeons generally dont tell you about?[/QUOTE]

 

[mehc012]

Oof. Sorry, man.
I had 1 dentist try to convince me to get mine removed (they're all growing in perfectly straight with no ill effects SO FAR ) because "well, they could get infected and cause a problem someday".

I will forever be grateful to my mother for looking at him like he was crazy and saying "well, so could her appendix - are you planning to remove that as well?"
5+ years later and still hanging in there!

 

[godawg300]

I had all 4 pulled out by a great oral surgeon. Was fine after 1 day, was asleep when he took them out. Had zero complications and was eating solid foods very quickly after. Make sure to consume lots of protein after your surgery

 

[kyamh]

My biggest disappointment from the whole wisdom tooth experience is the knowledge that "fun" drugs just put me straight to sleep

 

[ciestar]

Granted, I had mine out five years ago, and it definitely wasn't during the application cycle, but I was put under general anesthesia.
Your pain tolerance is obviously variable, I couldn't function well for about a week because of the pain. (Mine were severely impacted).
But your response to the medication is also variable. It made me very groggy, but I know others who take it, and it takes away their pain but they function just fine.

 

[ciestar]

My biggest disappointment from the whole wisdom tooth experience is the knowledge that "fun" drugs just put me straight to sleep

I suffer through kidney stones, so they no longer knock me out (tolerance i suppose?). But they sure as hell did after my wisdom teeth were taken out.

 

[hmockingbird]

I've never heard of wisdom teeth being done under general anesthesia... you are probably getting conscious sedation/"twilight sleep". Main difference from your perspective is not being intubated. You might be somewhat awake during the surgery, but you won't remember it.

I asked to be sedated because mine were impacted and my teeth just suck in general so I knew it would be complicated and I didn't want to be awake for that. I had the most amazing oral surgeon. I basically slept through rest of the day and felt a little weak/tired the second day and was fine after that... I don't remember if I even took the pain meds the second day. I didn't swell up much past the first day or so either (but that's because he gives his patients steroids in the IV to decrease swelling). I think I was eating normally after a week. Just follow all their after care instructions to prevent dry sockets. Trying to remember all of my friends' experiences - except for one who got a dry socket, I think we were all back to normal in at most a week and a half.

 

[ciestar]

General anesthesia for wisdom teeth is more common than you think, actually. As is conscious sedation.
I remember reading the report then, and IIRC, ketamine was in the anesthetic. Also was given ativan. I also had a local anesthetic given to me.
I couldn't imagine just a local anesthetic…

 

[hmockingbird]

General anesthesia for wisdom teeth is more common than you think, actually. As is conscious sedation.
I remember reading the report then, and IIRC, ketamine was in the anesthetic. Also was given ativan. I also had a local anesthetic given to me.
I couldn't imagine just a local anesthetic…

Ketamine is a "general anesthetic" (i.e. for your whole body not just one "local" part) but ketamine + ativan is conscious sedation. General also includes a muscle relaxant. (It's also typical for local to be used along with general anesthetics, because it still decreases pain response/stress on your body.)

I'm not trying to be nitpicky, but from a medical perspective, there is a large difference in risks with the two types of anesthesia, and recovery-wise, general is harder on your body. So I was more trying to reassure the OP, that if they are getting sedation it is not necessarily as scary as it sounds! (Also, just a heads up on terminology for future practice.) From what I can find, true general anesthesia is used occasionally for wisdom teeth. However, it's not the norm. Even just from a technical perspective, having a breathing tube gets in the way of the oral surgeon's work - can be done, but not preferable if you can do without.

 

[ciestar]

Ketamine is a "general anesthetic" (i.e. for your whole body not just one "local" part) but ketamine + ativan is conscious sedation. General also includes a muscle relaxant. (It's also typical for local to be used along with general anesthetics, because it still decreases pain response/stress on your body.)

I'm not trying to be nitpicky, but from a medical perspective, there is a large difference in risks with the two types of anesthesia, and recovery-wise, general is harder on your body. So I was more trying to reassure the OP, that if they are getting sedation it is not necessarily as scary as it sounds! (Also, just a heads up on terminology for future practice.) From what I can find, true general anesthesia is used occasionally for wisdom teeth. However, it's not the norm. Even just from a technical perspective, having a breathing tube gets in the way of the oral surgeon's work - can be done, but not preferable if you can do without.

I honestly couldn't tell you the full details, as it happened 5.5 years ago. I know the IV had three medications in it (how I remember that precise number, idk). The ativan was given pre-op, I had to take it at home about an hour before my procedure. I was on the fence of whether it was conscious sedation or general. I always thought it was conscious sedation, tbh, but still wasn't 100% sure. Not all the facts are there! (However, it more than like was conscious sedation)

I can assure you, though, when I have my eye surgery it will be general anesthesia.

 

[manofmen]

is there a medical consensus on removing wisdom teeth? i'm discussing this with my parents who are under the impression that, while there is a small health benefit to wisdom teeth removal, dentists are doing this under the profit motive. i have impacted teeth so this is of particular concern, and I currently don't have dental insurance. did anyone else go through this, and what was it like for you guys?

 

[mehc012]

is there a medical consensus on removing wisdom teeth? i'm discussing this with my parents who are under the impression that, while there is a small health benefit to wisdom teeth removal, dentists are doing this under the profit motive. i have impacted teeth so this is of particular concern, and I currently don't have dental insurance. did anyone else go through this, and what was it like for you guys?

This starts to border on medical advice, so I'll skirt it a bit.
In my family growing up, if it wasn't an immediate problem, there wasn't a budget for it. So, as in my story above, my mother pretty much laughed at the dentist when he suggested removal to ward off any theoretical potential future problems. In that case, we felt it was profit motivated. But then, my teeth are all growing in straight, no spacing issues, nothing. So it could be radically different in your case.

TL;DR: yeah, sometimes it's a profit issue, but I dunno about yours.

 

[circulus vitios]

I had mine removed about a month ago. The plan was to do sedation for all 4 but the impacted one required general anesthesia. I actually woke up in the middle of the surgery, lol. Post-surgery pain wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. I didn't bother with the cold pack things, and I only took 2 of the 325/10 Vicodin pills. I was eating normal food within 3 days without too much pain. The worst part was (and still is) keeping the sockets clean because they get jam-packed with food.

 

[ciestar]

is there a medical consensus on removing wisdom teeth? i'm discussing this with my parents who are under the impression that, while there is a small health benefit to wisdom teeth removal, dentists are doing this under the profit motive. i have impacted teeth so this is of particular concern, and I currently don't have dental insurance. did anyone else go through this, and what was it like for you guys?

While it's true that some dentists are using the motive of money to recommend wisdom teeth extraction (i read an article about this a while ago too), sometimes it is medically necessary. I was in horrible pain as well before they were even removed. But my surgery was covered under my medical plan, not dental.

 

[Ismet]

Reminder that SDN is not for giving or seeking medical advice, please keep that in mind when posting.

I was out of commission due to pain for 48 hours after mine were taken out. General anesthesia, day after xmas in junior year of high school. My jaw was swollen shut for about a week, I could open my mouth just barely enough to get a spoon or fork in, so it was impossible to chew, but other than that I was functional.

 

[mehc012]

While it's true that some dentists are using the motive of money to recommend wisdom teeth extraction (i read an article about this a while ago too), sometimes it is medically necessary. I was in horrible pain as well before they were even removed. But my surgery was covered under my medical plan, not dental.

That's where the iffy part comes in regarding this forum and medical advice...these things are definitely advised more than is medically necessary, but differentiating between 'medically necessary' and 'profiteering' is a tricky grey area.
I have my own opinions on how to tell the difference, but I don't feel like playing banhammer-dodgeball, so...

 

[allantois]

is there a medical consensus on removing wisdom teeth? i'm discussing this with my parents who are under the impression that, while there is a small health benefit to wisdom teeth removal, dentists are doing this under the profit motive. i have impacted teeth so this is of particular concern, and I currently don't have dental insurance. did anyone else go through this, and what was it like for you guys?

There is no consensus but I believe it's only because they can't just recommend such an expensive procedure to everyone. Everything dentists do is for-profit. If your teeth are impacted, your dentist will most likely not be able to extract them. The services of an oral surgeon are not covered by dental insurance.
This is a very good video of what can happen if you don't take impacted wisdom teeth out:


To me, the potential damage done by impacted wisdom teeth led me to save my own money and get them removed well before they started causing problems.

Also, extracting wisdom teeth is nowhere as invasive as removing appendicitis.

 

[mehc012]

To me, the potential damage done by impacted wisdom teeth led me to save my own money and get them removed well before they started causing problems.

Also, extracting wisdom teeth is nowhere as invasive as removing appendicitis.

The parallel still stands...and in my case, there was nothing remotely related to impaction. My wisdom teeth are fully erupted, in place, and properly spaced. Telling me to remove them is ridiculous...if you don't like the appy parallel, then how about we just go with the removal of any other functional tooth in your mouth because 'they might develop a bad cavity someday'. My point being that yes, sometimes the procedure is recommended completely unnecessarily, and it's hard not to consider that profit would be the primary motivator in that situation.

 

[plumazul]

is there a medical consensus on removing wisdom teeth? i'm discussing this with my parents who are under the impression that, while there is a small health benefit to wisdom teeth removal, dentists are doing this under the profit motive. i have impacted teeth so this is of particular concern, and I currently don't have dental insurance. did anyone else go through this, and what was it like for you guys?

Impacted wisdom tooth removal is a medical procedure. My standard health insurance coverage paid 100%.

 

[Person0715]

I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed about a month ago. The recovery was the worst part, but I was able to start eating normally after around 1 week. Also, as another poster said previously, enjoy the legal painkillers while you can, although I personally only needed them for 3 days post surgery.

 

[Sed8&Intub8]

I was lucky. I had virtually no swelling or pain. I didn't take any of the pain medicine, and I went to work 2 days later. However, I think they overdosed me on the general anesthesia or something, because I was asleep for 17 hours or so. But, I had pretty much no issues, and they had to break tooth on the inside and remove it in pieces. I was super lucky, the oral surgeon was like 70-80 years old.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

2) Wash with warm saltwater A LOT. I didn't get one, but I hear dry sockets are not pleasant.

Dry sockets are agonizing, the second most painful thing I've ever had to go through besides popping my own femur back into its socket after dislocating it.

I had the procedure done under local anesthetic and received ibuprofen for pain relief. No fun drugs for me.

 

[Spinach Dip]

But then, my teeth are all growing in straight, no spacing issues, nothing.

That almost describes mine when they were coming in! (I've also had dentists offer to take them out at every single appointment since they first cut the skin, so there is definitely some profiteering going on...) However, the tops now have cavities and the bottoms BARELY have enough space back there...

Not many keep their wisdom teeth for life.



And yes, I know the difference between conscious sedation and general anesthesia. That's something I'm going to discuss with the surgeon. Not here.



And lastly, I've had all those 'fun' drugs before (complications after previous surgery), and I found them rather disappointing. They made me more sleepy than anything. So, actually, I don't have anything to look forward to!

 

[Spinach Dip]

....So, actually, I don't have anything to look forward to!

...Except ice cream. I'm going to consume A LOT of ice cream.

 

[mehc012]

That almost describes mine when they were coming in! (I've also had dentists offer to take them out at every single appointment since they first cut the skin, so there is definitely some profiteering going on...) However, the tops now have cavities and the bottoms BARELY have enough space back there...

Not many keep their wisdom teeth for life.



And yes, I know the difference between conscious sedation and general anesthesia. That's something I'm going to discuss with the surgeon. Not here.



And lastly, I've had all those 'fun' drugs before (complications after previous surgery), and I found them rather disappointing. They made me more sleepy than anything. So, actually, I don't have anything to look forward to!

several of my family still have theirs as adults...even my grandparents, I believe.
I'm not getting mine taken out for cavities; they'll be filled just like regular ones, even if I have to go through multiple dentists to find one who agrees.
My bottoms are now completely level with the other teeth, whereas the tops have like, grown partly in but not cut the skin at ALL, which is odd, but I suppose better - no cavities or chance of infection!

I agree with you on surgical drugs...I mean, the anesthetics themselves make me goofy (I had a random surgeon who ran into me at my followup appointment remember me enough from our one postop encounter- even though I was not her patient at all- to thank me for being so loudly happy that her preop patients relaxed), but I didn't bother with any of the post-op stuff for my ACL. Too much driving to do - I drove to practice the day of surgery to wander the sidelines on crutches!

 

[allantois]

...Except ice cream. I'm going to consume A LOT of ice cream.

I didn't realize you were going for a tonsillectomy

 

[mehc012]

I didn't realize you were going for a tonsillectomy

Ice cream is always called for.

 

[LostinLift]

Well...I tried to hold on to em for as long as possible...but cavities and incomplete eruption have finally led to the need to take these things out.




An anesthesiologist friend told me I should have it done under general anesthesia because I'm rather resistant to novocain. I'll be making final plans with the oral surgeon in a couple days.




Anyway, I'm not asking for medical advice... just some commiseration from people who have gone through something similar DURING the application cycle. I'm assuming all the pain meds mess with your ability to write coherent secondaries...

Any general advice on how to survive having 4 teeth yanked out of my mouth? Anything the surgeons generally dont tell you about?

I woke up during my surgery. Fun stuff.

 

[Spinach Dip]

I didn't realize you were going for a tonsillectomy

Cold stuff in mouth = less pain in mouth. It doesn't have to be tonsils.

Ice cream is always called for.

YES!!!

I woke up during my surgery. Fun stuff.

I would like to avoid that. Funny me.

 

[Ismet]

I woke up during my surgery. Fun stuff.

I stopped breathing/held my breath at some point during mine. I started breathing again spontaneously, but apparently it was long enough to freak out the surgeon.

 

[looncat]

I had all 4 of mine pulled a couple months ago and was eating solid foods the next day, I think I got lucky judging from some of these posts! Though an hour after waking up I had a crying fit because I was somehow convinced they'd removed my heart :/

 

[deleted407021]

I had all 4 of mine pulled a couple months ago and was eating solid foods the next day, I think I got lucky judging from some of these posts! Though an hour after waking up I had a crying fit because I was somehow convinced they'd removed my heart :/

It depends on whether they have to simply pull them or actually cut them out.

I don't like the idea if stitches in the gums.

 

[mehc012]

I stopped breathing/held my breath at some point during mine. I started breathing again spontaneously, but apparently it was long enough to freak out the surgeon.

The only thing I remember from anesthesia recovery was that there was this funny beeping sound and if I flexed a certain muscle it would change 'colors' aka drop in pitch, but if I did it long enough things would bounce back.
This was before fully regaining consciousness - you know, that state where you can't figure out how to open your eyes but you kind of start to wake up.
Lo and behold, I later found that the muscle I was flexing was my diaphragm...aka I was holding my breath because it was fascinating to me to hear the monitor change sounds I'm sure my nurse loved me.

 

[Ismet]

The only thing I remember from anesthesia recovery was that there was this funny beeping sound and if I flexed a certain muscle it would change 'colors' aka drop in pitch, but if I did it long enough things would bounce back.
This was before fully regaining consciousness - you know, that state where you can't figure out how to open your eyes but you kind of start to wake up.
Lo and behold, I later found that the muscle I was flexing was my diaphragm...aka I was holding my breath because it was fascinating to me to hear the monitor change sounds I'm sure my nurse loved me.

I had quite a bit of oral surgery when I was younger, and I always played around with my breath while I was on the monitor but before I went under, just to make the machines make different sounds. Managed to freak out one of the nurses once haha

 

[hmockingbird]

While it's true that some dentists are using the motive of money to recommend wisdom teeth extraction (i read an article about this a while ago too), sometimes it is medically necessary. I was in horrible pain as well before they were even removed. But my surgery was covered under my medical plan, not dental.

Me too. Mine were basically done as urgent surgery because I was in so much pain. They just randomly started hurting on a Monday and I had them out that Friday. My insurance covered it because they were impacted and symptomatic.

My dad had two of his taken out as a teenager, but left the other two because they weren't impacted. About a year after I had mine done, he had to get the other two removed! At least I had had such a good experience with my oral surgeon that he knew someone to go to

 

[Doctor Dream]

I was awake during my surgery but had NO2 gas. I remember I randomly starting to laugh after it was hooked up for a couple minutes. Then I started laughing even harder because I could imagine how dumb I looked laughing at absolutely nothing sitting in a room by myself

I remember though I was good to go after a couple days of laying around. I had 2 teeth impacted pretty severely, luckily I had a great surgeon who didn't cause any permanent nerve damage

 

[Spinach Dip]

I was awake during my surgery but had NO2 gas. I remember I randomly starting to laugh after it was hooked up for a couple minutes. Then I started laughing even harder because I could imagine how dumb I looked laughing at absolutely nothing sitting in a room by myself

Uhm, N2O =/= NO2. I know what you mean, though.

And unfortunately, N2O doesn't have the same effect on me.

Lo and behold, I later found that the muscle I was flexing was my diaphragm...aka I was holding my breath because it was fascinating to me to hear the monitor change sounds I'm sure my nurse loved me.

I had quite a bit of oral surgery when I was younger, and I always played around with my breath while I was on the monitor but before I went under, just to make the machines make different sounds. Managed to freak out one of the nurses once haha

Love the stories guys.

Similarly, my chest hurt when I was waking up from anesthesia once, so I tried to breathe shallowly and slowly. At one point I actually set off the apnea alarm, which got a bit more attention than I was hoping for.



It's good to know that others out there have been through similar things. It makes me feel less alone.

Thanks.

 

[Doctor Dream]

Uhm, N2O =/= NO2. I know what you mean, though.

And unfortunately, N2O doesn't have the same effect on me.

Yea my bad, was too lazy to look up the actually formula to be certain I wrote the right compound

 

[predoc26]

@Spinach Dip I am in the same boat. Getting 2 out on Thursday. Perfect timing seeing that I was just verified and might get a **** storm* of secondaries this coming week. I will gladly have them put me under. I got one wisdom tooth out 4 years ago and I think they gave me laughing gas to relax me while they were putting in the IV, then next thing I knew I was being wheeled to the car and drooling on myself.

Fun fact, I only formed 3 wisdom teeth. My dentist likes to tell me I'm more evolved

EDIT: I forgot you can't use cuss words
*poop storm

 

[Theseus]

I had 2 impacted and one non-impacted which shifted my upper teeth. Had all three removed with local anesthesia. No pain during the procedure, but still felt the pressure. A few hours later, I couldn't open my mouth at all and didn't take my pain meds because I was afraid of dislodging the blood clots. I thought I was tough and believed that the pain wouldn't be too bad after lidocaine wore off, but I was wrong. Anyway, I lived through the day and the worst of the pain subsided within about 4 hours.

Oh and I also looked like a hamster the next day.

 

[Robert L. Middleton]

Loosing of wisdom teeth is quite common dental problem which most of the people face it. The important factor is to over come the pain and get fast recovery after your wisdom teeth is removed for that you should take proper rest, for some day keep the movement of the mouth to minimum, keep your jaws iced, take pain killers or other medicined prescribed by the dentist.

 

[ridethecliche]

I had quite a bit of oral surgery when I was younger, and I always played around with my breath while I was on the monitor but before I went under, just to make the machines make different sounds. Managed to freak out one of the nurses once haha

I smashed my face up pretty good in an accident and had to have a bunch of work done for it. Lucky for me that I didn't break my jaw (or neck) and I could easily have done either...or both.

I used to be an endurance athlete, so I tried to calm myself as much as possible to see how low I could get my pulse to read. When it came into the low 40's then high 30's the nurse popped her head in to see if I had feinted. I was just hanging out.

Wisdom teeth removal sucks, I was lucky not to have dry sockets though. Definitely not a fun time, but neither was getting implants or breaking 4 teeth. Sigh.

 

[Omppu27]

It only messed with me for a couple days. Shouldn't really interfere with secondaries.

 

[AspiringERMD]

I woke up during my surgery. Fun stuff.

That's probably even worse than my experience... I had surgery (not for wisdom teeth) and woke up still intubated before being taken to the recovery room. All I was aware of was not being able to breathe in or out; I didn't know I was intubated. #1 scariest moment of my entire life.